Easy Paddling!

When you are planning your next visit – whether for the day or longer, consider adding on a paddling experience – stretch your limits! Check out our convenient boat launch sites, rentals – everything you’ll need to enjoy an outing on the water! Our handy Park Locator tool allows you to find parks with the amenities and services you require to get you started.

You can find easy paddling in most provincial parks. Explore meandering rivers for great opportunities to see wildlife. The Bonnechere River makes for a great family paddle, close to shore, interesting vegetation and the chance to see turtles, fish, ducks and deer. The family cabins at Bonnechere make for a great getaway! Or check out Emily northeast of Toronto, a perfect spot for novice paddlers and the wetlands along the wide Pigeon River provide a habitat for many unique frogs and birds. If you do not have a canoe, you can rent one at the Park Store.

Motorboat free lakes provide peaceful, easy paddling for novice paddlers and nature enthusiasts. The collection of picturesque lakes in Esker Lakes, the quiet, pretty Kettle’s Lake at Awenda or the peaceful waters of MacLeod in northwestern Ontario offer a relaxing option for a day of canoeing. Some parks like Silent Lake offer great home bases to explore. Try a quiet and relaxing paddle across the 2.5 km long Silent Lake. The adjoining Quiet Lake and Soft Lakes can be accessed (depending on water levels) by completing a short portage.

More parks are beginning to offer “Learn to” programs – including Earl Rowe where you can learn to paddle. Be sure to check out “What Happening” highlights for each park. And park staff are excellent sources for advice on paddling and services available.

Please visit the Ontario Parks blog for articles on the benefits of being in nature. From the Ontario Parks Blog;

“Connecting with nature has lots of benefits. It keeps us healthy by lowering our blood pressure and strengthening our immune system. It reduces our stress levels and keeps us physically fit. It’s good for our emotional wellbeing too. Children who play in natural environments are more resilient and develop skills for dealing with stress later in life. Parks provide unparalleled natural classrooms and recreation opportunities for people of all ages. And now there’s a new initiative – developed jointly by federal, provincial and territorial governments – that focuses on the importance nature plays in our lives. Ministers responsible for parks across the country recently met in Ontario to finalize the Connecting Canadians with Nature report, which was co-ordinated through the Canadian Parks Council. The report builds on what Ontario Parks is already doing.”

“Serious products for serious users”, Mustang Survival

“For more than 45 years, we have outfitted some of the most demanding users working in the world’s most unpredictable and hazardous environments. From commercial fishermen and industrial marine workers to law enforcement officers, the Coast Guard and even NASA astronauts, we’ve designed and provided professional users like you with industry leading personal protection equipment. As a serious user, you can, without a doubt, rely on our lifesaving solutions so you can focus on what you do best.”

Please carefully read the important information from the  Transport Canada website for additional info on the mandatory life saving equipment requirements for all vessels;

“Having the right equipment on board can save your life. If something goes wrong on the water, you’ll be much better prepared to deal with it if you have the right equipment on board, if it’s in good working order, and if everyone can find it and use it. Remember, the best protection you can give yourself on the water is to wear your lifejacket!

This section starts off by listing the minimum safety equipment that is required on your boat, followed by some extra advice for specific activities. Finally, it offers more information on the equipment you need and how to use it.

 Minimum Safety Equipment Requirements   

The safety equipment Canada requires you to carry on board is based on the type and length of your boat. It must be on board, in good working order and always easy to reach so that it can be used in an emergency. You can find the length of your boat by reading the manufacturer’s product information or by measuring it yourself (from the front outside surface of the hull shell to the back outside surface of the hull shell – bow to stern).

Remember that these requirements apply only to pleasure craft and are the same whether you own, rent or borrow the boat. This includes typical boats like power boats, sail boats and personal watercraft, as well as less common boats like airboats, air cushion vehicles (hovercraft) and wing in ground effect vessels that are used only for recreation. They also apply to kiteboards.

If you want information on operating a vessel for work or commercial activities (non-pleasure craft), visit www.tc.gc.ca/marinesafety or contact your local Transport Canada Centre.

These requirements do not apply to inflatable self-propelled water toys because they are not designed for use in open water. If you do choose to operate these toys in open water, they will be treated as pleasure craft and subject to the same strict rules. Remember as well that operating a propeller-driven surfboard is against the law in Canada.

The following list of equipment is the minimum that is required. You may want to bring more equipment based on your type of boat, your water activity and the current and forecasted weather and water conditions.”